You probably already know that coenzyme Q10 – or CoQ10 – is the most important enzyme for every cell in your body. It's vital for energy production in your cells.
And it's also the major antioxidant in mitochondria.
I’ve told you in the past how valuable this enzyme is for protecting your heart and your brain.
But now we know that you need it for another life-saving function.
It's common for people over 50 to have a deficiency of CoQ10. Approximately 62% of all cardiovascular disease patients are deficient.
But we’ve now found that 39% of patients with high blood pressure are also deficient. And correcting this deficiency can work miracles for hypertension patients.
In many human trials, an average daily dosage of 120-225 mg of Coenzyme Q10 per day can reduce your blood pressure.
In fact, it can reduce your systolic blood pressure (the first number mentioned when your doctor tells you your blood pressure reading) by an average of 7%.
It can also reduce your diastolic blood pressure (the second number) by an average of 9%. And it can do this within three to four months after you start taking the supplement.
An Even Bigger Drop!
In another study, researchers conducted a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 46 men and 37 women with essential hypertension.
The researchers gave half of the participants 120 mg of CoQ10 daily for 12 weeks. The average reduction in systolic blood pressure of the CoQ10 treated group was 25.9 mmHg! That’s a big drop in just three months.
Researchers then conducted another study to clarify the mechanism of the antihypertensive effect of coenzyme Q10. They followed 26 patients with essential hypertension and gave them 50 mg twice daily for 10 weeks.
At the end of the treatment, systolic blood pressure decreased from 164.5 to 146.7 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 98.1 to 86.1 mmHg. The total peripheral resistance found in the arteries of the patients was decreased 28%.
That’s a lot!
The authors concluded that the major mechanism of CoQ10 is to dilate the arteries.
Will It Help You?
A good way to determine just who is most likely to benefit from CoQ10 is to look at blood levels. In the study quoted above, the plasma coenzyme Q10 values increased from 0.64 microgram/ml to 1.61 micrograms/ml.
I have found that the minimal serum level required for adequate effect is at least 1.50 micrograms/ml.
So make sure you take enough to get your serum levels up at least this high. The most effective form for raising your serum levels is ubiquinol. This is the form that’s best absorbed and has the best clinical effect. And you don’t have to take such a high dose.
Because the anti-hypertensive effects of CoQ10 are so dramatic, anyone with high blood pressure who has a serum level below 1.00 micrograms/ml should take CoQ10 for three to four months.